Aftermath
by cecania13
Summary: Spoilers if you haven't read the book! Instead of dying in the Battle of Five Armies, Fili and Kili survive and have to face an idea they never thought would come to pass.
1. A Hard Truth

Pain brought him back. Mind and body numbing pain. Everything that could hurt did and some parts he hadn't even known about were hurting. A groan slipped past his lips when he tried to move and it only magnified that agony. How could one hurt so much and still be alive?

"Kíli!"

A different kind of pain beset him. His brother's voice. Fíli was alive! The last he remembered he had seen his beloved brother fall under a wave of orcs. His lips, the only thing that didn't seem to hurt, turned down. Or perhaps they were both dead, but why then all the pain?

"Kíli, can you open your eyes?"

It was a struggle, but he managed to do it and his vision went blurry as tears swam in his eyes. "Are we alive?" he managed to whisper.

Fíli smiled in relief even though he looked as bruised and battered as Kíli felt. "Aye, brother," he said quietly. "We live and Erebor his ours again."

Relief temporarily banished the pain. They had done it. The odds had never been in their favour, not that he had had any doubts of their success, but that last battle…. For the smallest moment, his belief had wavered, shattering slightly as he had seen friends and family struggling to hold onto what was theirs. But it had only taken a single look at his uncle to know they could win. Thorin had finally reclaimed Erebor and he was not going to lose it to people who saw themselves as overly entitled.

His peace was short lived however. "Thorin!" he gasped, jerking upright despite the pain.

Strong hands forced him back down despite his struggles to stay upright. "Easy, Kíli. Our king lives as well."

He sagged into the mattress, but something about the way he said it made Kíli go cold. "What happened?"

Fíli shook his head. "You need to rest and regain your strength."

Something was wrong. Fíli never avoided a question like that, at least not with him. They were open with one another and the thought of his brother hiding secrets now didn't sit well with him. "How can you expect me to rest when you won't tell me what is going on?"

A deep sigh left his brother and he looked away, staring across the room. "Thorin lives," he finally said, "but he will not wake."

Kíli's heart stuttered. They had failed to keep him safe?

His brother gripped his arm. "He's alive and he'll pull through, Kíli. You know he will."

He would never forgive himself if his uncle died. He could have done more. There had to be more he could have done!

"Don't do that, Kíli," Fíli said softly. "We did everything we could."

"There could have been more!" he insisted.

"Short of our lives there was nothing else and we nearly gave those as well."

He gladly would have given that if it meant his uncle would be safe. Judging by the look on Fíli's face, he knew exactly what the younger was thinking.

"Kíli, Thorin would never want either of us to die so that he could live."

But things would never be the same if their uncle did die. The mere thought terrified him. Thorin wasn't supposed to be able to die. He had always been strong and confident, a constant figure in Kíli's life. He was everything Kíli wanted to be. If he died….

"Kíli is finally awake?"  
Both turned to look at the door and saw Balin standing there. The older dwarf came into the room and sat near Kíli's bed. He didn't look too worse for wear, but he was moving a little slower. Kíli almost winced. He hadn't thought to ask if anyone else had been harmed or killed. It was unsettling to think that any of those dwarves could possibly die after everything they had been through.

"It's good to see you awake, laddie. We weren't sure for a while if you ever were going to wake again."

"Is Thorin alright?" Kíli demanded, his fear that Balin was the bearer of bad news blinding him to everything else.

"You should worry about yourself. You've been here for nigh on a week."

_A week? _Fíli nodded when he glanced at him. "Why are you here, Balin?" Fíli asked.

"To remind you both of something you may have forgotten. It isn't the most pleasant topic to discuss but it needs to be done."

The brothers glanced at one another. Could they really deal with another unpleasant topic right now?

Balin let out a deep breath. "We need to discuss what will happen if Thorin doesn't wake up," he said quietly.

Kíli tensed even though it made his body scream in pain. But that was nothing compared to the pain in his heart at the thought of losing his uncle. "Balin, he won't die," he insisted.

"I know you don't want to think about it, laddie, but it needs to be thought. Erebor is ours again, but we need a king. Those that came with Dain are demanding that someone be named regent until Thorin's fate is apparent."

"And I suppose they want their king to be named to it," Fíli said dryly. "Even though he only came at the end and originally denied us help when Thorin met with him."

"Even so," Balin agreed. "He does have a claim to it because he is of the line of Durin, but there are those who have a stronger, closer claim to it."

Meaning them. As Thorin's nephews, it had always been unsaid that they were his heirs. Kíli doubted either of them had ever thought about actually claiming the throne though. Their uncle was unbeatable and would rule Erebor for the rest of his life before passing it on to Fíli. Or possibly a son of his own if he ever had them. Neither of them had honestly thought this day would come.

"Fíli, you're eldest," Balin continued. "If you chose not to take up the mantle of regent, it will fall to Kíli. If neither of you wish to assume the role, then we may have yet another war on our hands because I know many that will not want to have Dain ruling them. Even if it is only by proxy."

Kíli shifted as much as he could to look at Fíli. He was watching Balin, his expression unreadable. Kíli knew that he didn't want to be regent. It felt like he would be admitting that his uncle wasn't coming back if he did, but at the same time, he didn't want Dain on the throne. They had fought long and hard to win that throne back for Thorin and no one but the King Under the Mountain was going to sit upon that stone.

"Fíli?"

"I'll do it," his brother said lowly, shocking Kíli. "I'll rule our people in my uncle's name until he is well enough to do it himself."

Balin nodded. "With Kíli as your heir?"  
Fíli's blue eyes flicked down to him and his lips quirked. "I don't think my brother is much suited to ruling, but then neither am I. Yes. We are grandsons of Thrain and great-grandsons of Thror. While we live, no other shall claim any part of this mountain as their own."

It was Balin's turn to smile. "You should know that the company is staying here as well," he said after a moment. "I don't think any of them want to leave until they know what will become of Thorin. Even when we do know, I don't think they're going to leave. We fought too long to reclaim this as our home and that is what it is now."

Fíli nodded. "Good. I will need a council to help guide me in my uncle's place. Balin, you will serve?"  
Kíli couldn't believe what he was hearing, but at the same time he wasn't completely shocked. Fíli had always known that he was the heir. That if ever they reclaimed Erebor, this duty would fall to him eventually. As second in line after his brother, Kíli had always been afforded more liberties, but to see his usually jovial brother taking this so seriously made him realise that he needed to step into his brother's shoes. He had no heir and if he did something reckless someone else would claim Erebor.

"Of course. We all will, laddie. We'll help you keep Erebor running until Thorin wakes to claim it as his own."

Squeezing his eyes shut, Kíli sent a small prayer to Mahal. He had never done so before but it was all he could think of now. _Let Thorin awaken. Let him take up his rightful place on the throne. Do not let our struggles be in vain._

He felt Balin pat him through the blankets before the older dwarf left the room.

"You're really going to do this," Kíli said softly once they had been alone for several minutes.

"Aye. There's no other choice. And Thorin would expect us to follow through on our duty. This kingdom is our birthright and it will remain ours until the day our line is gone." Fíli paused and looked at Kíli. "But I can't do this alone. I'm going to need your help."

He honestly had no idea how to run a kingdom or govern a people, but he knew how to support his brother. Forcing his hand to move, he grasped Fíli's forearm. "I am with you, brother," he said firmly.

Fíli nodded and squeezed back.

Neither of them cared for this arrangement, but they knew that this was what Thorin would have wanted from them. And if there was one thing they always agreed on, it was that they never wanted to let their uncle down.


	2. For Erebor

Fíli stared at Balin. "They want what?" he demanded.

"Thorin promised the Men of Laketown a portion of Erebor's treasure before the battle. They want to claim it now."

When his uncle lay in a near death state and his nephew struggled to put their kingdom back together? "No," Fíli said. "Thorin promised them a share of the treasure if and when they returned the Arkenstone. Last I was told, it was still within their possession."

Balin nodded slowly. "That is true."

"If they can't meet Thorin's terms, they won't receive the benefits."

There were murmurs of agreement around the table. All of the company were sitting with him, except for Bilbo. The hobbit was still in the Lonely Mountain, but all of the company had agreed that one of them was to always be with their fallen leader. Despite everything he had done, Bilbo wasn't the greatest protection, but Gandalf was also with him. No one was going to get past that pair.

The hobbit also said that he had no place on a dwarven council, that Thorin had removed him from the company. Fíli knew this as well as any of the others, but he also knew that his uncle hadn't been in his right mind when he'd said it. Something had changed in Thorin when they had reclaimed their broken home. Fíli hadn't had a chance, but he wanted to speak to Balin about it. He loved his uncle and would follow him anywhere, but the Thorin that had claimed the mountain and the treasure with it was not the uncle he knew.

"The elves are still sitting on our doorstep as well," Balin continued. "They haven't said anything about wanting a share of the treasure, but we know it has to be on Thranduil's mind."

That and he was still angry over the fact that thirteen dwarves had disappeared from his dungeon seemingly by magic.

"We didn't ask them to come," Dwalin growled.

"If it weren't for the orcs," Gloin threw in, "they would have been fighting us instead."

Fíli knew that. Their time in those dungeons was still fresh in his mind. He wasn't keen to give them anything other than a swift kick off the mountain. The men had been promised something by the king and he was willing to honour it once the Arkenstone was home. But no such promise had been made to the elves.

"Word came from Dain again."

All eyes turned to Kíli beside him at his announcement and Fíli sighed. Their distant cousin's message had been unwelcome and not something he'd wanted to bring up here.

"He's like a vulture," Dwalin spat. "Just waiting for his chance to feast."

"Without him and the dwarven warriors he brought, we wouldn't have succeeded," Balin said quietly. "What did he say, laddie?"

Fíli took a breath. "He offered advice about the people camping on our mountain, urging me to settle matters swiftly so we can rebuild Erebor." Which he had already known and been trying to do. It wasn't his fault that it wasn't going smoothly and he was inclined to point out to Dain that he was camping on the mountain as well.

"He also said that Fíli should accept the title of king and not regent," Kíli added.

There was a beat of silence before noise exploded around the table as the dwarves realised what Dain was implying.

Fíli leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Why did you mention that?" he muttered to his brother.

"They deserve to know what Dain's thinking."

And now they had dissolved into shouts and threats against the king of the Iron Hills. Which is exactly what his brother had done when Fíli had shown him the letter. Dain's message hadn't been pleasant to read and Fíli had destroyed it after Kíli's reaction. Everything in it was nothing new to him. Even the bit about declaring himself king. Opening his eyes, he met Balin's gaze. The dwarf lord was the only one besides the brothers who wasn't shouting.

Balin had already spoken to him about this. Thankfully, he had approached Fíli during one of the few times he had been alone. Kíli wouldn't understand what Balin was trying to say. Fíli understood where he was coming from, but it still made his gut clench. It had been two weeks since the battle and his uncle had barely stirred. The possibility that he'd never wake up was very real and was always on his mind. It was on all of their minds, but it weighed heavily on Fíli's. At the moment, Fíli was trying to build a kingdom worthy of his uncle when he woke. Everything was done to ensure that Erebor became what his uncle wanted. If Thorin died without ever seeing it peacefully under dwarven control again….

"Enough!" Fíli shouted, rising from his chair as the dwarves didn't cease. "Bickering about Dain is getting us nowhere! His method is harsh, but he speaks the truth. We need to get Erebor back on its feet so our people have a good home to return to. To do that, we need to settle matters with the Men and determine why the elves are still here."

The company was all looking at him like he had grown another head, but he didn't dwell on it.

"Balin, inform Bard that he is welcome to a share of Erebor's wealth the moment the Arkenstone is in my hands. Urge him to be swift for surely they are as eager to rebuild their home as we are."

Balin nodded. "Aye, my lord, I'll see to it."

"One of you needs to find out what the elves are about without sparking another war," Fíli continued. "Can any of you do this?"

There was another moment of silence before Bofur nodded. "Bombur and I are unassuming enough," he volunteered, "And even though we're part of the company, we have no claim or ties to the mountain. Our problem with them is much more recent and can be ignored for the time being. They might be more open to speaking with us."

"Good." Fíli looked at the rest of the company. "I need the rest of you to assess the damage Smaug did to the mountain and see if any of the dwarves who came with Dain are willing to stay."

"Are we poaching them?" Nori asked.

Fíli shook his head. "No. Some of our people, after Erebor was taken, went to the Iron Hills. If any of them wish to return or reclaim the halls of their fathers, let them know they are welcome to. We can't rebuild if our people don't come home."

Murmurs of approval came from around the table.

"Kíli and I will remain here to help survey the damage," he continued and felt his brother tense beside him. "I'll let the rest of you decide what you would rather do."

"Aye, my lord," they all said.

Looking at Kíli, he left the table and knew his brother was following. He wound his way through the empty halls until he reached one of the main stone ramparts. Going to the edge, he stared out at the land below. Three armies were spread out across the torn ground. The only time they had worked together besides the battle had been to remove and burn the bodies of the orcs and to find their own fallen. Now they had pulled back behind their own lines and set up camps.

"We should be out there reclaiming our people."

Fíli sighed. "Things are different now, Kíli. We can't be the same as we once were."

"I know but we haven't left the mountain in two weeks! Why shouldn't one of the line of Durin be out there showing them how strong we are?"

"Because we aren't strong right now!" Fíli said sharply. "We are both still recovering from nearly fatal wounds and our uncle lies near death! Our home is reclaimed, but shattered! We have no room to make mistakes because everyone is watching us!"

Silence met his words and Fíli had to take a deep breath. He could count the number of times he had yelled at his brother on one hand and not use all of his fingers.

Turning, he saw Kíli wasn't looking at him but staring out at the land. His brows were drawn together as they always were when he was faced with something he didn't care for. "Kíli-"

"We're still strong," he said abruptly. "We will always be strong because we have each other. The bond between us and our uncle isn't something that can be easily broken and it needs to be seen. We can't just hide in the mountain and expect it to protect us."

"That isn't what we're doing," Fíli sighed. "Until we establish some kind of normalcy in Erebor, we are vulnerable. If anything happens to either of us, Dain will take the mountain."

His brother's brows came together even more. "After," he said, looking at Fíli. "After they're all gone, we won't be stuck in the mountain."

Fíli's lips twitched. He didn't like being tied down any more than his brother did and it was a constant struggle to remind himself that he couldn't agree with Kíli, that he couldn't just run off to do something his uncle would deem stupid. "After they're all gone, we're going to be busy rebuilding a mountain."

"I never expected any of this," Kíli admitted after a moment, stepping up beside Fíli and making a gesture. "Mahal, I don't know what I even expected anymore."

That was easily understood. Before this quest, they had rarely left Erid Luin and even when they had, they hadn't gone far. It was honestly their home and Erebor only a distant place in the stories their mother and uncle had told. When Thorin had approached them about this, they had signed on without hesitation, but neither of them truly knew what was to come. Despite the way everything had gone, Fíli knew that neither of them would change their choice.

"What are we going to do if he doesn't wake up, Fíli?"

Fíli closed his eyes. In the week since he had woken, Kíli hadn't asked that question and he had wondered if his brother ever would. "Live, Kíli," he said softly. "Live and be the rulers of Erebor that our uncle would expect us to be."

"It'll never be the same."

Of course it wouldn't. Thorin was the closest thing to a father either of the brothers had. Losing him was going to be a blow that neither of them would ever recover from, but something they would have to face together if it happened. "That's why I need your support now more than ever, Kíli," Fíli said, turning to him and gripping his shoulders. "We need to be careful and watch each other's backs until we know that we're on firm ground again. You can't run off like you used to because uncle isn't going to be there to bail us out of whatever trouble we get into."

Kíli gripped Fíli's shoulders as well. "We've always been princes of Erebor," he said, his voice low, "but it was always just words before. We had no throne and the words were empty. They aren't empty anymore and I don't know if I know how to carry the weight that comes with them."

"It was uncle's to carry before us and now it's ours as the last true heirs of Durin. We wouldn't have been born into the line if we couldn't handle it."

Kíli nodded slowly before he met Fíli's eyes. "You reminded me of Thorin in there," he said quietly. "When you yelled at everyone."

A chuckle left Fíli as he stepped back. If there was one talent his uncle had, it was yelling unruly dwarves into submission and he had gotten decades of practice with his nephews.

"But it wasn't just the yelling and I know it wasn't just me."

"What do you mean?" Fíli asked, glancing back out at the armies.

"Didn't you hear it?" Kíli said softly. "They called you 'my lord.' If Thorin doesn't wake up, they've already accepted you as king, Fíli."

A/N: Thank you to every single one of you who reviewed, favourited, followed, and read the first chapter! I loved that you love it! And as you can see, I decided to keep going. I can't say how many chapters will actually come of it but for now I know there will be more. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!


	3. For Brothers

"He isn't the same."

A deep sigh came from Balin across the table. "He has a lot on his mind, Kíli. Neither of you ever thought that something like this would happen. He has to adapt to be what our people need."

Kíli knew that, but a part of him didn't care. Was it childish to still need his brother and resent his new duties? Probably. Of all the company, Balin was the most knowledgeable and never made one feel small or ashamed of a query. He was also one of the very few who knew what it was like to live with a King Under the Mountain. "Did you think that this would happen?"

"Laddie, I was never sure we would even reclaim the mountain. It was a fool's quest with little chance of success."

Kíli paused in lighting his pipe to stare at Balin. "Why did you come then?"

"Thorin was my king and I would follow him where he led. He believed it could be done and I had to trust in that." Balin's gaze turned to the destruction inside the mountain. "But I've never been sure if the cost of this quest was worth the end result."

Glancing at his brother who had fallen asleep in his chair, Kíli now wondered the same. Fíli wasn't wearing the crown yet its weight was a burden brining him down already. His clothes were covered in soot and dirt from the wreckage they had been clearing. Some had tried to tell him that the king's heir shouldn't be doing something like that, but Fíli hadn't stopped.

_"I can't stop, Kíli," Fíli said softly. "As soon as I stop, I start thinking and we both know that isn't my strong suit."_

_ "It's stronger than mine."_

_ "Because you only use your head to attack someone with," his brother chuckled. "Uncle always told you to stop before you just charge madly in."_

_ Kíli wanted to shrug it off, but too many bad things had happened on this quest for him to just ignore it. And he wondered if he had followed his uncle's advice, would things have turned out differently?_

_ Fíli let out a deep sigh and shook his head. "There's so much to do, Brother. Anyone who thinks ruling is easy has never tried it."_

_ "It'll get easier. We're trying to rebuild right now. Once that's done, it'll get easier."_

_ A tired smile crossed Fíli's face. "I hope so, Kíli."_

They had had that conversation only last night, but it felt like so long ago. With every day that passed, it felt like the brother he knew was slipping away.

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder and made him look up. "Balin?"

"Don't worry so much, Kíli," he said quietly. "No matter what happens, Fíli will always be your brother. Things will be hard for a while, but you two will always be brothers."

Kíli forced a smile and nodded before the older dwarf took his leave. He knew that they would always be sons of Dís, but a crown had never been between them before. It was something they would have to get used to and fast before it turned into a problem.

Smoking slowly, he watched the puffs of smoke drift through the air and thought about the problem. Was it really an actual problem? Or was he just turning it into one? He supported every decision his brother made and gave his input when he thought it was needed. It had only been a week since Fíli had issued his commands to the company, but he had already accomplished much. Matters with the Men had been settled and it had gone smoothly enough that relations between their two races had improved greatly. Even though both of their homes were in ruins, there had been talk of re-establishing Dale and restoring the ties between their two kingdoms.

Bard had even appeased Thranduil by giving the elf king all of the great emeralds that had been in the share of treasure the man had taken. Both armies had departed after that, leaving only dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard on the mountain.

Kíli had wondered if Dain, who hadn't seemed impressed when some of his warriors had elected to remain in Erebor, would have demanded some tribute for his help. So when the king of the Iron Hills had asked for an audience, he had expected the worst.

Instead, Dain had complimented Fíli on how swiftly and diplomatically he had handled the Men and Elves. It had been hard to contain his surprise, but Fíli had accepted the praise graciously. Their distant cousin had offered advice about rebuilding and had offered to ask in the Iron Hills if any miners or stone masons would be willing to return to Erebor.

_"Why would you do that?"_

_ Dain's dark gaze glanced at Kíli. "It will take a while for your people to get here from the Blue Mountains," he said quietly, "and there are probably many who may not want to leave."_

_ "True enough," Fíli conceded, "but why offer? You weren't happy when some of your dwarves chose to stay."_

_ "Because they're good fighters and their presence will be missed. But they originally came from Erebor and I cannot deny them their home." Dain paused and considered both of them. "You have the chance to return Erebor to its former glory. If you do it right, the Lonely Mountain may even grow greater than before. You may not want it, but if ever you need help, do not hesitate to send word. We are Durin's folk, no matter how distant our families and I want you to succeed here."_

Dain had stayed for a few days longer, giving both brothers advice on ruling a kingdom. He had suggested a few areas to focus on rebuilding and answered every question they had had.

Neither Thorin nor the Arkenstone had come up.

Glancing at Fíli when he groaned, he saw his brother stretching in his chair.

"How long?" Fíli asked around a yawn."

"Not long enough," he said honestly.

Fíli rolled his eyes and looked over the building plans in front of him. Bofur had surveyed the damage in key areas and drew up plans for safe excavations. They were planning on starting a major area tomorrow and they all needed to be well rested for the work. But he'd have a better chance of learning to fly then tell Fíli what to do.

Setting aside his pipe, Kíli watched as his brother sorted and shuffled the papers. A sudden memory came to him and he smiled. "Do you remember the first time we built something together?" he asked.

Fíli paused before he chuckled. "Mother was not happy to come home to a dwarven fort in her sitting room."

"We moved all of the furniture in every unlocked room into it. We had a tunnel entrance and two levels above."

"We used her clean linens to make bedrooms and resting places at the back and drew a pattern on a pillow case to make a flag."

"It was the first time she'd left us on our own and she swore she'd never do it again. Even though you were fifteen and I was ten," Kíli laughed. "I'd never seen her so mad."

"You made it worse by asking if she could be our dragon because she was breathing fire."

His cheeks tinted slightly even as he laughed. "She scared me enough that I didn't want to ever leave the fort."

"Neither of us did until uncle got home. We wanted to show him what we had built." Fíli shook his head. "He didn't know whether to be mad or impressed."

"He was mad when Mother was there and promised her he would take care of the issue. Once she was gone, he locked the door and told us that we'd built a fine fort," Kíli said softly. "That we were worthy members of the line of Durin, but that we would have to put everything back where we found it."

"After we defeated the dreaded dark king from the forge," Fíli finished. "Uncle played with us for hours in that room and helped us put everything back when he decided it was time to stop."

Something stung Kíli's eyes and he blinked quickly to rid them of the feeling. Three weeks. Thorin had been lying death-like in his bed for three weeks. Gandalf had no idea what was wrong with him and everything he tried didn't work. With every day that passed, it felt like he was truly never going to wake up.

Fíli reached over and squeezed his arm. "I miss him too, Kíli," he said quietly. "Things are definitely not the same without him here."

And they never would be. Two things had been the main constant in their lives. Their mother and uncle and they had neither of them here. While they had been adventuring, he hadn't had time to think about his mother or missing her and it hadn't been all bad since Thorin was there. But now they didn't have either of those presences. It didn't matter that they were both now adults, he still wanted to talk with his mother about everything that had happened and what was happening now.

Before he could ask Fíli if he felt the same a shout echoed through the hallways. Both brothers tensed, sure they had heard it wrong even as their hearts started to pound.

_"He's awake!"_

Leaping out of their chairs and racing out of the room, Kíli followed only a step behind his brother as they ran down the hall. Those two words inspired so much hope in Kíli that he felt like this couldn't be real. Would their uncle truly be returned to them? And why had they been sitting in a room so far away from the one that Thorin was resting in.

Bofur's yell echoed a third time and Kíli was sure that he heard the heavy thumping of other dwarves running toward the room their fallen leader was in. Everyone in the company would surely come as soon as those words reached them.

Heart pounding in his ears, he followed his brother right into the room, nearly knocking Bofur over in the process. He swung towards the bed, his shout for his uncle dying on his lips when he saw that Thorin was lying as still as he had been for the past three weeks. "Is this a joke?" he asked, rounding on the other dwarf.

"He was awake!" Bofur insisted, staring at the bed. "I swear on my life, he was awake!"

But he didn't look like it now! Had they missed their chance to speak with their uncle because they had been too far away from the room?!

"He was awake," Bilbo said softly, looking up from where he was sitting beside the bed. "I spoke with him."

Kíli stared at the hobbit and was sure his brother was doing the same. "What did he say?" they demanded together.

The Halfling took a deep breath, glancing at Thorin. "He was himself again," he said, his voice sounding both sad and relieved at the same time. "The Thorin we knew from travelling across Middle Earth and not the one he became. He said he understood why I took the Arkenstone and that he was wrong to remove me from the company. He was…sorry for the way things happened."

Eyes squeezing shut, Kíli understood why the conflicting emotions were in the hobbit's voice. To know that his uncle had truly become himself again only to slip back into this death sleep?

"Anything else?" Fíli asked, his voice strained.

Bilbo looked up again. "He asked about you, both of you. He was worried about you because the last he had seen, you had fallen defending him."

The wounds were nearly healed but they still ached at the mention of that day and Kíli barely kept himself from pressing his hand to his chest. "What did you tell him?"

"He was fading already, but I think he heard me when I told him that you were both alive and well."

If only they could have been here to tell him themselves! The stinging pain in his eyes was back and he didn't think that blinking was going to make it go away this time. Squeezing his eyes shut, he barely heard Bilbo excuse himself or the door close as all of the dwarves left him and his brother alone with their uncle.

"Kíli," Fíli said quietly, his hand settling on his shoulder.

A broken noise left Kíli as he fell to his knees at the foot of the bed. "He can't die, Fíli," he said, looking up at his brother through teary eyes. "He can't leave us like this!"

There were tears in his brother's eyes as well as he knelt beside him. "I know, Kíli."

"We wouldn't even get to say good bye! It's like what happened with Father only worse!" he sobbed.

Fíli grabbed his shoulders and pulled him into a tight hug. Exactly what he had done when they had been children and word had come to them of their father's death. Kíli had been too young then to truly understand what had happened and why his family was crying and upset. But he was old enough now to understand that the death of a loved one could easily destroy one's entire world.

A/N: So. How do you like your epic sadness? Is it treating you as horribly as it did me? I nearly cried when I brainstormed this with my room mate and nearly sobbed writing it. However, I've decided that I'm going to finish writing this story to get it out of my system and then return to Brotherly Love and whatever new ideas come my way. So, even though it is a feel breaking chapter, I hope you liked reading it and thank you to each and every one of you that have read it and continue to do so! I love you all even if you hate me for this chapter.


	4. But With Time

Fíli knew he was probably staring at Gandalf but he couldn't help it. "You're leaving?"

The wizard gave him a look. "It has been a month since Erebor was reclaimed. Your efforts to rebuild are going smoothly and your people are returning from the Blue Mountains. I'm not needed here anymore."

"But Thorin-" Fíli cut himself off as the words choked him up.

Gandalf's gaze was understanding. "It's been a week since he woke," he said quietly. "I've tried everything I know to wake him, but this is not something I can fix. My presence here is not going to change the state he is in."

He knew that, but the little boy inside him that still believed in magic wanted Gandalf to fix his uncle. "There's truly nothing you can do?" he asked softly.

"No," Gandalf sighed. "Whatever is keeping Thorin in this state is not something magic can heal."

Glancing at the closed door, Fíli asked, "What is keeping him like that?"

He had asked Gandalf and many other that same question. No one had been able to give him an answer. It didn't make sense and it was uncharacteristic of a dwarf to linger like this. They either regained their life or joined their forefathers in the halls of Mahal. They didn't get stuck between the two.

"He's the most stubborn dwarf I have ever met," the wizard said, leaning on his staff. "Normally, I cursed him for that trait but it is one of his many strengths."

"Because he refuses to give in to death?" it would make sense but there was great honour in how he had come to it. Even though Fíli didn't want Thorin to die, he knew his uncle had earned his place in Mahal's halls.

"Because he refuses to give up on life. His wounds should have killed him, Fíli. There is no doubt in my mind that Thorin clings to life because there is something here he refuses to lose."

"The Arkenstone?" His uncle had nothing to worry about. As soon as Bard had returned it, Fíli had locked the stone in a chest and stored it under Thorin's bed. It was the king's jewel and belonged with the king. "Both the stone and Erebor are his again and we've told him that." Neither Kíli nor himself left Thorin's room for long and they constantly talked to him, telling him everything occurring in the mountain.

Gandalf let out a slow breath. "Both the Arkenstone and Erebor are important to Thorin, but I do not think they are what keeps him here. Whatever he is holding onto is more important than anything he wanted to find in this mountain."

Fíli frowned. Growing up with Thorin as a surrogate father he had always known what his uncle wanted: The return of his kingdom. He had trained his nephews as warriors and, even though he had never said it, they had both known it was to help regain Erebor. It was always on Thorin's mind and nothing was greater than that.

Placing his hand on Fíli's shoulder, Gandalf smiled. "You will understand soon what is most important to Thorin Oakenshield. I can't promise when I'll be back, Fíli, but I will return to the mountain. In the meantime, rule Erebor as you see fit."

He was trying to rule it as his uncle would and it was hard when the worry for Thorin's health was always on his mind.

"Trust the company and yourself, Fíli," he continued. "You've gotten Erebor on its feet, but there's still more that needs to be done."

Fíli nodded. He had moved his work into Thorin's room and it had slowed him down, but they were still moving forward. Which was a great accomplishment in itself.

"Farewell, Fíli, son of Dís. I hope our next meeting finds you in better spirits."

"Farewell, Gandalf," Fíli said as the wizard left. He knew that this day would come, but he hadn't thought it would come so soon. Pushing Thorin's door open, he slipped inside and heard Kíli cease speaking. "He's gone."

"Has he given up then? Is he saying Thorin-"

"He's a wizard, Kíli," Fíli sighed, taking his seat across the bed. "He can't always be here to help us."

Kíli was silent before a harsh sigh left him. "I know. I just want…."

_Thorin to be well,_ Fíli finished silently. "Get some sleep, Brother. It's my turn to stay awake."

He looked like he was going to argue before he nodded. "You'll wake me if he changes?"

"Promise." It had become ritual between them every time they switched roles. Neither of them could sleep without the reassurance that they would be woken if anything changed.

Kíli didn't even leave his chair to find his rest. He simply shifted in his seat and closed his eyes.

Knowing it wouldn't take long for his brother to fall asleep, Fíli waited, not doing anything. Balin had brought enough paperwork for him to review so he would remain awake long enough for Kíli to get a decent sleep. Once Kíli's deep breaths joined Thorin's steadying breathing, Fíli lifted a bundle of papers. It was a list of names of dwarves who had come to Erebor.

The dwarf lord was meticulously detailing who was returning and what skills they had to give the kingdom. Many dwarves had come from the Iron Hills and the halls of Erebor were loud with the sounds of construction. They were all determined to return their home to what it had been before. They worked all hours of the day and night and their progress was astounding. It had been a good feeling to have something to show the first dwarves returning from the Blue Mountains.

The first caravan had only arrived a few hours ago and a part of him knew he should be greeting his kin, welcoming them back to the home they had been forced to abandon. But he couldn't leave. Not yet. Balin was a strong enough representative for the crown and it left him free to remain with his uncle and brother. Right now, they needed him more than the people did.

Losing himself in the work Balin had brought, Fíli didn't notice the hours slipping away. He was so immersed in the papers he almost didn't hear the door open. Assuming it was someone with a meal, he didn't look and waved a hand at the table across the room. "Put it there," he said dismissively.

A familiar tingle he hadn't felt in a long time ran down his spine as the door closed ominously. "Regent of Erebor and an adult you may be, but I taught you manners. Did you suffer some injury and forget them?"

Disbelief coursed through him as Fíli swiveled in his seat to look at the door. Surely he had imagined that beloved voice. "Mother?" he said uncertainly.

Dís shrugged out of her travelling coat and placed it over the back of a chair. "I know that you are busy, but I expected one of my sons to greet me when I arrived," she chided. "Instead I had to search for you."

He barely heard her, leaping from his chair and rushing her. Her sturdy body barely rocked as he slammed into her, hugging her with all the strength he had. Burying his face in her thick hair, he felt tremors course through him as everything he had been trying not to think about pressed in on him.

One of Dís' arms pulled him close while the other stroked over his hair. "Shh, Fíli," she murmured, her voice soothing. "It's alright."

But it wasn't. Nothing was alright. He heard and felt her sigh before she began humming softly. He immediately recognized it as the lullaby she had always sung to him when he'd been young and had nightmares. It took him longer to realise she was rocking him gently as well, making him feel even more like his childish self. "Mother…."

She pulled back as she finished the tune and met his gaze evenly. She had the same blue eyes as Thorin, the same shade as Fíli's own, and they were as calm and level as her brother's. It was comforting in so many ways. "Tell me, Fíli."

He couldn't have stopped the words if he tried. Speaking in a hushed tone so Kíli could continue sleeping, he told his mother everything that had happened since she had kissed her sons' brows in farewell. He left nothing out since she would know when he was lying to her and he didn't have the willpower to try.

Dís didn't say anything as he spoke, merely taking it all in. When he was finished, she looked at the bed that held her only living brother. Her expression didn't change as she walked to his side and sat on the mattress. "He had the gold sickness?" she said softly.

"Yes, but Bilbo said he was himself when he woke."

She nodded, her fingers stroking Thorin's hair back from his face. "Our grandfather had it," she murmured. "I remember how it changed him."

Fíli's heart sank a bit. Did she think that Thorin wouldn't recover? Or he wouldn't be the same if he did?

Dís looked at him and he saw her expression change. It became one he had seen frequently as a child and had simply labelled as the Mother-is-not-impressed face. "Go into the bathroom and straighten your hair," she told him. "You look like an untamed lion."

He was halfway to the bathroom before he realised it. "Why do I-"

"Fíli."

She didn't have to say more than that. He started moving again. He was an adult, but there was no arguing with his mother. Closing the door, he almost didn't recognize the dwarf in the mirror. His hair was tangled from constantly running his hands through it and his beard was completely unkempt. He didn't look like a dwarf or a lion; he looked like a mad man.

Unwinding his braids, he tried to get his hair into some semblance of order before redoing the braids. He studied his face as he set the clasp at the back of his head, wondering about his beard. It was growing in haphazardly and would need to be trimmed, the braids redone. But not right now. He looked more like himself at least and that would hopefully satisfy his mother.

Opening the door, he paused when he saw Kíli was awake and hugging their mother. His brother looked like he was trembling as much as Fíli had when he had been in her arms.

Dís caught his gaze and gently pushed Kíli back. "You look more presentable than your brother," she murmured, looking him over.

Both of them frowned. "Why do we need to be presentable?" Kíli asked.

"Because you're going to show me what you've done for Erebor and our people don't need to see the heirs of Durin looking like ragamuffin orphans."

"We can't leave!" they both cried.

Dís levelled a look at them. "Whether you're here or not isn't going to change his condition," she said firmly. "But your absence is being noted by our people. These are going to be hard times for all of us and they will need to have faith in their rulers."

"But Thorin," Kíli said weakly, looking at the bed.

"Mahal knows how important your uncle is to you," Dís said, turning her son's face back to her. "If it is his time to go, you will get your chance to speak with him."

Fíli wanted to protest, to say they were staying, but regent did not trump mother. "Kíli."

The younger dwarf looked torn and like he was going to do something rash.

"It won't be for long and Balin and Dwalin will stay with him." Dís looked at her youngest, her expression back. "This isn't open to discussion."

Fíli wasn't being scolded, but his shoulders still fell at her sharp tone. He had been on the receiving end of it too often not to react.

Holding out her hands, Dís waited for her sons to take them. "You need out of this room," she said softly. "You need to see the good you've done."

Even though neither of them wanted to leave, they both took her hands.

Dís led them from the room and Fíli saw Balin and Dwalin slip inside. Part of him was screaming to go back inside, to be near Thorin. But he knew his mother wouldn't let him.

As they came to the main hall, Fíli was stunned to see it was nearly rebuilt. The damage Smaug had done had been extensive, but in localized areas. Quite a few of the upper and lower floors had been relatively intact. The dragon had made a beeline for the vault and made his home there. And the dwarves of Erebor were determined to erase the marks he had made.

"When was the last time you left that room?" Dís asked.

"A week."

She tsked softly. "Thorin wouldn't want either of you wasting away at his bedside."

"Mother-"

"He had great hopes for both of you," she continued, looking around. "He raised you to continue our line. You aren't doing that in there."

Fíli didn't say anything, but he knew Kíli might and sparking their mother's temper was not what they needed right now.

"We need to be there for him, Mother," Kíli said, his voice low and guilt ridden. "We weren't there when he needed us so we need to be now."

"What do you mean you weren't there for him? You nearly died to keep him safe and if you tell me that his life is more important than yours, Kíli, I will turn you over my knee in front of everyone here!" Dís finished hotly.

Kíli's cheeks coloured under his stubble and it was too much for Fíli. Laughter slipped from him uncontrollably and he had to brace his hands on his legs so he didn't fall over.

"It isn't funny!" Kíli growled, but it only made it worse.

He could remember the last time they had been spanked and it had been embarrassing enough that both of them had promised to behave in public. Dís hadn't believed them, but their uncle had been there to see them misbehaving and spanked. Thorin hadn't said anything, but they had felt the weight of his stare.

Gasping for air, Fíli slowly straightened and wiped away the tears that were trailing down his cheeks. He found his brother glaring at him and Dís smiling gently. "Would you really do it?" he asked, not sure if he actually wanted an answer.

She huffed. "You might be adults physically, but you'll always be my sons. Who other than your mother is going to keep you in your place?" She paused and a sly look that chilled him to the bones crossed her face. "Unless you've found females to marry. I'll gladly give up that position to any female worthy of either of you."  
Fíli choked even as Kíli sputtered indignantly. "Mother!"

Dís shrugged one shoulder. "As the next in line for the throne, _one_ of you needs to continue the line. Or had you forgotten that?"

"But not now. We have too many other things to worry about without adding to it," Fíli said firmly, even as his stomach flipped inside him.

"True enough," she murmured, her voice gone soft.

Fíli and Kíli glanced at one another before moving closer to her. "What is it, Mother?" they asked.

"Thorin," she sighed. "This death sleep bothers me because he should have come out of it by now."

"Gandalf thinks that something important is keeping him here," Fíli supplied. "We've told him time and time again that Erebor and the Arkenstone are his but it's done no good."

Dís studied them for a moment before shaking her head sadly. "Oh, my boys," she sighed. "Erebor and the Arkenstone are important to him, yes, but you two are the most valuable things in his life. He is your surrogate father and you the sons he never had. If anything is making Thorin cling to life, it's the two of you and nothing else."

A/N: Sometimes I feel like Fili and Kili shouldn't be as thick as I write them. Then I think about parasites and figure it's all good. So, yes. Enter Dis, daughter of Thrain, mother of Fili and Kili and queen of I'm your mother and you're going to listen to me. Not much is said about her in the books or appendixes so I winged it. Hope you liked her and the chapter and hopefully I'll have the next (and final!) chapter up sometime this week! Thank you again to all of you who read, reviewed, favourited and followed the story! It makes writing so much easier when you know people like it :)


	5. Comes Acceptance

"How much more can we do, Fíli?" Kíli sighed as he slouched in his chair across from Fíli. "We've talked ourselves hoarse these past three days and it hasn't worked."

"It's all we can do," Fíli said, looking at Thorin's bed. After their mother's arrival, the brothers had tried to reassure their uncle that they were safe, whole, and rebuilding their kingdom. It still hadn't worked. Dís had convinced them to leave the room more, to meet with their people to plan Erebor's future, but they always came back here. It reminded Fíli of when they were little and would ambush their uncle whenever he came home, telling him everything they had done that day.

Except he wasn't responding and the more time went by, the more the burden of the throne weighed on his shoulders.

The people needed a king to guide them. Bard had already been named king of Dale and the city wasn't even built. The dwarves of Erebor needed the same thing. Fíli had been handling negotiations with Bard, but he knew that soon the title of regent would be only a shield used to hide from the truth.

"You're going to say yes," Kíli said softly, drawing him from his thoughts.

"I can't very well say no. We both know you don't want the throne."

"I would take it if there were no other choice."

"And there is none open to us now, Kíli." Fíli shook his head. "In the beginning we had so much hope that Thorin would awake quickly, but time has proven our hopes wrong. I will never stop believing that one day he will wake, but until then we have a kingdom and people to care for."

His brother nodded. "Aye, the kingdom needs to be cared for as much as Uncle does. He would never forgive us if we let Erebor fail when he paid so much to get it back."

A faint smile teased Fíli's mouth. His brother had matured in the last three days. He still had hotheaded moments, but more and more he was actually considering his actions and the consequences of them. Just as Fíli had done when he had been Thorin's heir.

"When will you make an announcement?"

"In two days. Balin wants enough time to ensure everything will go smoothly."

Kíli snorted. "I'm surprised he doesn't have the whole thing planned already."

Balin did, but Fíli didn't mention that. The two days were actually for him so he could truly accept what he was doing.

His brother gave him a smile. "In two days you become King Under the Mountain and an heir of Durin will once again sit on the throne."

And the weight of that was heavy, but he would carry it with pride and honour as befitting his line. Exactly as his uncle had. "It will just be in name though," he said quietly. "I won't have a coronation until Erebor is fully rebuilt."

Kíli nodded. "Good plan. It will be all the more reason for our people to celebrate," he agreed.

Which was why he and Balin had decided on it. "Until then, I'll try to rule the kingdom as Thorin would and make him proud."

"I have always been proud of you," a low voice said brokenly.

Fíli felt his heart stop beating and saw the same disbelief he felt on his brother's face. If Kíli had heard it, did that mean he hadn't imagined it?

"There has never been a time when I have not been proud of both of you."

Their chairs went flying back as both brothers surged from them and rushed across the room. "Thorin!"

Blue eyes were open and sane as they reached the bed. "Fíli, Kíli," he said quietly. "You're alive."

"Aye, Uncle," Kíli said in a rush. "Everyone lived!"

"I saw you…fall."

His heart clenching, Fíli nodded as Thorin's gaze met his. "We did, but we survived. It's been a month since the battle."

"A month," Thorin mused, his eyes closing on a sigh.

Panic set in quick and hard and both of them grabbed Thorin's arms. "_Uncle?!"_

"Cease shouting," he growled. "I am still here."

Swallowing his heart, Fíli let go of his uncle. It was impossible not to be scared of losing Thorin, however, and letting go was one of the hardest things he had ever done.

"Help me sit up."

Both of them reached out again, maneuvering both pillows and uncle so he was propped against the headboard. Once they pulled away, Thorin pressed a hand to his chest. He was only in a tunic, but he'd be able to feel the bandages that were still there.

"Do you want to eat?" Kíli asked, filling the silence. "We can get you a meal."

"After. I need to speak with both of you first."

A bad feeling rippled through him. "About what?"

Thorin was quiet for a long time, his gaze turned inward. "I wondered about the prudence of bringing both of you with me," he said quietly. "You are the last of my kin and it was your right to help reclaim your homeland. But at the same time you are my sister-sons, the _last_ of my family and I didn't want you anywhere near that dragon."

Fíli glanced at his brother, confused. Thorin had never spoken about this before. Even though he had always been there for him, he had never been overtly affectionate or spoken of what he felt.

"I thought about it the entire length of our quest," he continued, "and I considered sending you home repeatedly."

They both tensed. Send them home. That would have been beyond shaming to him. "Uncle-"

"When you fell protecting me, I knew," he said lowly. "I knew I had made a mistake. I knew the cost was too high. What was a mountain and a pile of gold to me when my sister-sons had given their lives to defend a dwarf gone mad?"

Fíli looked away, uncertain of what to say to that.

"You're our uncle and king," Kíli answered. "Of course we would defend you."

Thorin sighed. "I never wanted either of you to die so I could live."

"But we're alive, Thorin," Fíli reminded him quietly.

"No thanks to me. I nearly led all of us to our deaths."

Both brothers fell silent again. What Thorin said was true, but it had been their choice to come. Yes, neither of them had known what to expect when they'd left home, but they had both been willing to give anything to reclaim Erebor. And neither of them regretted any of the choices they had made.

"I could hear you."

Fíli looked back at Thorin. "What?" he asked, knowing Kíli was frowning at their uncle.

"Everything you've said to me in the time I…slept. I could hear all of it."

"Then why didn't you wake?" Fíli asked, trying to keep his pain out of his voice and knowing he failed by the way Thorin's eyes darkened.

"Guilt," he said softly. "You might have been alive, but your entire world was shattered because of my decisions."

"You only did what you thought to be right."

"No, I didn't. I let the past constantly cloud my judgement and greed ruled my mind. I couldn't see what was in front of me and I let anger dictate my actions." Thorin shook his head. "Until I accepted these facts, I couldn't face either of you."

"Uncle, you have nothing to be ashamed of," Kíli said quietly.

"Not now that my sister-sons have righted the wrongs I couldn't and the ones I created. Everything you've done for our people and for Erebor make me proud to call you my kin."

A trickle of worry flowed through Fíli. "That sounds like a good-bye, Uncle."

Thorin chuckled lowly and shook his head. "No, Fíli. I don't plan on saying good-bye for a long time."

Fíli heard his brother let out a pent up breath. "Good because you aren't allowed to die when Erebor needs her king."

"The Lonely Mountain has a king," Thorin murmured.

"Everything is ready for you to assume the throne. We just-"

"I was not talking about myself, Fíli," his uncle cut in.

Fíli froze. "What?" he managed to say.

"I am not the one who dealt with the armies on our doorstep. I did not bring dwarves home to rebuild and get Erebor on her feet again. I am not the king that Erebor needs."

All he could do was stare. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that Thorin would not want the throne. He had been willing to take the title of king, but he had always known he would give it up as soon as Thorin woke. He didn't know what to do now that the title would be his permanently.

Thorin studied him for a moment before a faint smile crossed his face. "You knew that if we reclaimed Erebor, one day you'd be king."

"I didn't expect it to be so soon," he muttered honestly.

"And not ten minutes ago you were ready and willing to take the throne."

"Until you woke!"

"And if I never did? What then?"

Fíli let out a sigh and looked away. "I don't know," he admitted. "I didn't want to stop believing you'd wake."

"I understand, but I also know I am not fit to rule. Once greed takes hold of a dwarf, it does not easily let go. I cannot trust myself to lead our people to greatness once again."

"And I can?" Fíli asked. "What is to stop me from following in your footsteps?"

"I will," Thorin said firmly. "I may not be taking the throne, but I am not going to abandon you to it. You are my family and I will help you in any way I can."

"You could help by taking the throne," Fíli muttered.

Thorin chuckled. "Any way but that one."

_Six months later_

"Stop playing with it."

Kíli dropped his hand at his mother's voice and threw a glare at Fíli when his brother chuckled. It wasn't his fault he wasn't used to wearing these kinds of clothes. Most of his life had been spent wearing clothing meant for rough use. They were durable and comfortable. These were not.

"Do you remember when being an heir of Durin was just words and didn't carry the weight of a mountain with it?" Fíli asked, coming over to him.

"It feels like a lifetime ago," Kíli sighed. "I remember when we used to pretend we were taking back the mountain. That we had slain Smaug and reclaimed Erebor for Thorin."

Fíli chuckled again. "It didn't exactly go as we pretended."

"Not at all." But that didn't mean it was a bad thing. Looking across the room, he watched as their mother and uncle spoke with one another. They were both garbed in royal blue, Thorin's tunic as rich as the dress Dís was wearing. The sight made him happy. Their mother had always been a princess, but this was the first time she had truly dressed like one.

"It's been so long since either of them have done anything formal like this, but they're so calm about it," Fíli muttered.

"That's because they aren't being crown ruler of Erebor," Kíli teased.

His brother snorted. "It's just a crown," he grumbled. "I've been king in name for the past six months and yet the thought of this terrifies me."

"Because once you wear it everything becomes real."

Fíli looked at him. "It amazes me how you've grown, Kíli."

It was his turn to snort. "I wasn't much to begin with," he admitted. "I was young and foolish. Uncle was right. I knew nothing of the world. But I can't afford to remain blind to it anymore. I would be of no service to you if I did."

Fíli clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I could ask for no greater brother," he said. "Your support is something I need as much as uncle's."

He didn't think his advice was as meaningful as Thorin's, but he had found his own purpose as a prince of Erebor. Fíli had given him and Dwalin the task of ensuring Erebor's safety and he took it seriously. But more than that, he found his job to be reminding his brother of who he was. Not King Under the Mountain, but Fíli, son of Dís. When the stress of being king weighed, too heavily on him, Kíli would recount some of the adventures and trouble they had gotten into as children. Sometimes it took a few stories, but it always worked to ground his brother.

"Do you know what I miss?" Fíli asked suddenly.

"Not having an entire nation watching your every move? Two if you count Dale. Or maybe three. Mahal only knows what the elves are doing."

Fíli growled and punched his shoulder. "Do not remind me," he muttered.

Kíli smiled and said, "What do you miss, Brother?"

"Sneaking down to the orchard at the foot of the Blue Mountains and spending all day in the trees eating the fruit. We wasted many wonderful summer days there."

Kíli remembered. The orchard had been tended by the surliest dwarf ever to set foot on Middle Earth. It had almost become a rite of passage for young dwarves. If you could spend the entire day in the orchard without being caught, you were a legend to the others. "We ate too many apples once and were sick when we got home."

"I'm more likely to believe that it was the cider we snitched that did that."

Dís had not been impressed when her sons had come stumbling in at sunset, more than a little drunk and sick to the stomach. "At forty-five and forty, we were supposed to know better."

"I don't think we'll ever know better," Fíli chuckled.

It made him smile. Perhaps not, but sneaking off now was not a wise thing to do. The kingdom would panic if the king and heir disappeared. But Kíli silently vowed he would make sure to get his brother out of the kingdom every now and then to ensure he still had fun. He would make sure that Dís and Thorin knew what they were about. After they were gone of course, otherwise they wouldn't get to leave at all.

Silence fell between them, the only noise in the room the low conversation between Thorin and Dís. Moments like these happened frequently with the royal family. There didn't always need to be words. They simply took solace in the fact that their family was here and together.

"Do you know what today is?"

Kíli almost answered flippantly again, but he stopped to think about it.

"Do you know why I picked today for this?"

Besides the time it had taken to plan the coronation? Something was tugging at his memories and he knew that he should know the answer. But what made this early summer day so-"Mahal," he breathed as it came to him.

"One year ago on this day," Thorin said, joining them, "thirteen dwarves and a wizard descended upon a hobbit and forever changed his life and theirs."

Kíli smiled fondly at the memory. He had been sad to see Bilbo return home. The hobbit was a true friend and missed greatly. "You didn't see his face when he thought we were going to break his dishes, Uncle."

"Having spent time with Mister Baggins, I can easily imagine it."

Kíli shared a grin with his brother. The hobbit had had no way of knowing that to break those dishes would have been incredibly rude by dwarven standards. There weren't many rules to a dwarven party, but the main one was that you left the residence in the same state as you found it. Minus the food and drink. Poor Bilbo had taken their song seriously and expected them to leave his house in ruins.

"He nearly passed out several times during the night," Fíli laughed. "He didn't know what to do with us."

"I think, even at the end, he still didn't know what to do with or make of dwarves," Thorin said, smiling faintly.

Kíli had never asked if Thorin remembered making amends with Bilbo and his uncle never brought it up. But when Bilbo was mentioned, no anger came from Thorin so he assumed he did.

"Not that I'm sure we dwarves will ever understand any hobbit."

"I don't know. I know they set a fine table," Fíli mused. "Even when they don't want the guests."

Whereas a dwarf wouldn't stand for others raiding their larder like the company had Bilbo's.

"Perhaps you should invite him back," Dís said as she came over. "You all speak so fondly of him. I would like to meet the Halfling who saved my family so many times."

The brothers shared a look. Fíli had wanted Bilbo to be here, to see Erebor in her glory, but they hadn't sent an invite. They knew they had shaken up the hobbit's world enough as it was and to ask him to travel so far when he couldn't have been home for long was too much. Even though they wanted to see their friend, they knew his home was in the Shire.

The door opened suddenly and Balin poked his head in. "It's time."

Kíli saw his brother tense, but Fíli nodded. "Thank you, Balin."

As the door closed again, Dís smiled at her eldest son and straightened out his tunic. "Come. The people want to see their king."

Thorin gripped Fíli's shoulder as Dís stepped back. "Never forget you are a true king of Erebor and I am proud of you," he said quietly.

"Thank you," he said thickly.

They both moved away from the brothers, heading to the doors to wait for them.

"Do you really think I can do this, Kíli?"

"You have been doing it," he said immediately. "You've been ruling Erebor for nearly seven months and look how she's prospered. All that's happening today is a ceremony for the people really. You've been accepted as king and nothing will change that."

"When did you become so wise?" his brother chuckled.

"I'm not. Anyone with eyes can see what you've done for our people and they love you for it." Kíli paused for a moment. "The crown is just a symbol of what you already are. It isn't going to change anything." _I won't let it. I'll never let you forget who you really are._

Fíli gripped his arms and bumped his forehead against Kíli's. "I am lucky to have you as my brother," he said softly.

"And I am proud to have you as my brother and king."

Taking a deep breath, Fíli let go and said, "I'm ready."

Kíli nodded and followed him to the door. On the other side, their kingdom was waiting for the king to take his throne. The galleries surrounding the throne would be filled to overflowing, every dwarf in the mountain coming to see, to celebrate this moment. It was no wonder Fíli was nervous.

Glancing at Thorin, Kíli saw the pride on his uncle's face and in the small smile he was giving them. Returning the gesture, Kíli knew that his brother would be fine because he wasn't alone. His family was supporting him and would always be there for him.

As Fíli pushed the doors open, Kíli fought a grin when the hall exploded with cheers at the sight of their king and he knew two things. The people truly did love his brother and the celebration for this even was going to last for days.

A/N: Well, there you have it! Hope you enjoyed how things have panned out for the royal family! I knew early on that this was exactly what I wanted to happen when Thorin woke up. Although, I will admit, I wasn't sure if he was actually going to live or not, but my roommate convinced me that he had to live. So this is all that I have planned for the story at this point, but inspiration strikes in odd ways sometimes and I'm sure there would still be a tale or fifty to tell of Fíli being king. Love to you all for reading this! You're what makes me keep writing!

A/N 2: As some of you may already know, I decided to do a sequel to Aftermath. Three chapters are up already and it's called Aftershocks. Hope to see all of you over there and thank you for reading!


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